This invention relates to an apparatus associated with a packing machine and being of the type which forms groups of edgewise upright oriented flat articles such as confectionary items. The articles are, in a lying state, individually advanced by a first conveyor to a wheel-like second conveyor which has a plurality of transfer pushers. After the second conveyor has moved at least approximately one-quarter of a revolution, the respective transfer pushers shift the articles onto a gathering channel in an edgewise upright orientation. The transfer pushers are pivotally jointed to the second conveyor to execute a limited pivotal motion. Upon reaching the transfer point at the gathering channel, the transfer pushers are swung into an inoperative position.
The grouping of flat articles such as confectionary items has involved difficulties for a considerable time because the articles have to be handled in a gentle manner to avoid damages and further, the groups must contain an accurately counted number of articles or must have an unchanging weight per group. Also, a high-speed output is a primary desideratum in such machines.
British Pat. No. 2,116,508 discloses an apparatus for forming a plurality of side-by-side arranged article groups. The articles, such as confectionary items (biscuits) are, as they emerge from the baking oven, aligned in twelve rows and are edgewise upright oriented in a gravity chute and thereafter advanced by pushers in two groups to a conveyor chain, whereby groups of six articles each are formed. The groups may then be advanced to subsequent conveyor arrangements provided with article carriers to continue conveyance of the groups in a serial arrangement. Such a system may be built for a desired number of articles per group as determined at the output of the baking oven. The number of articles in the groups, however, cannot be subsequently changed. The conveyance is effected stepwise with positive and negative acceleration phases which involves a high risk of damaging the delicate articles. The rows of articles emerging from the baking oven must be accurately counted and in the event of a missing article, a complementation of the group is not feasible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,899 describes another type of apparatus for counting articles for the purpose of forming groups therefrom. The formation of groups is effected by a conveyor wheel which has a number of radially extending and restrictively pivotal transfer pushers. The articles which are delivered to the conveyor wheel in a lying orientation, are, by virtue of the rotation of the conveyor wheel, individually turned by 90.degree. for orienting them into an edgewise upright position. In an inlet zone the articles are pushed onto a gathering rail where they are handled in groups by a gathering pusher and advanced thereby to a subsequent conveyor arrangement. This apparatus operates with uniform conveying speeds in each phase. The articles are exposed to negligible friction and practically no pressure is applied thereto. The group length may be varied in a simple manner. It is, however, a disadvantage of this known apparatus that in each cycle only a single group may be formed. This characteristic significantly limits the output of the packing machine with which the article grouping apparatus is associated.